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Meaning “the shadows that melt the flesh”, vashta nerada are shadow swarms that slip into the material plane from the void. Vashta nerada are often described as “piranhas of the air”, and can strip the flesh in an instant. They usually live in small groups, living on carrion, but sometimes they gather and prey on the living; not everyone returns from the dark.

Swarm Attack (Necrotic) aura 1; The vashta nerada swarm makes a basic melee attack against each enemy that starts its turn in the aura.

HP 42; Bloodied 21

AC 19; Fortitude 14, Reflex 16, Will 11

Immune disease, poison, necrotic Resist half damage against melee and ranged attacks, insubstantial Vulnerable 10 against area and close attacks

Speed fly 6 (hover); phasing; altitude limit 1

Shadow Bite (Standard; at-will) ♦ Necrotic

+8 Vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 4 necrotic damage.

Swarm Attack (Standard Action; at-will) ♦ Necrotic

Close burst 1; the vashta nerada swarm makes a basic melee attack against each enemy in the burst.

Latch onto Prey (Standard Action; Encounter)

The vashta nerada swarm shifts into the space of a target within 1 square and takes the form of the target's shadow (so that the target appears to have two shadows), becoming the same size as the target. Whenever the target moves or shifts, the swarm shifts with it, shifting into the square it moves to. While the swarm is latched onto the target in this way, if the target is killed by an attack made by the swarm, it rises as a free willed vashta nerada suit at the start of the swarm's next turn, standing up where it died (or in the nearest unoccupied space). The vashta nerada suit is composed from the target's body, and so it must be slain before the target can be resurrected.

Shadow Form

The vashta nerada swarm appears to be an area of shadow, and gains total concealment when the entire swarm is in an area of dim light or darkness. In addition, a DC 26 perception check is required to notice that the vashta nerada swarm is not an ordinary shadow. If the swarm attacks, the creature it attacks can immediately notice that the swarm is not a shadow.

A character knows the following information with a successful arcana check.

DC 20: Vashta nerada are shadow swarms that slip through to the material plane from the void. The name “vashta nerada” means “the shadows that melt the flesh”. Most vashta nerada live in small groups, feeding on carrion. Vashta nerada exist in some shadows, but not every shadow, and a shadow where one ought not to be is a sure sign of the presence of vashta nerada.

DC 25: Vashta nerada can occupy suits of armor or even clothes to form a “swarm in a suit”.